Cigarette-box



(No Model) A. L. 'ELLETT, Jr.

CIGARETTE BOX.

'No. 545-,855. Patented Sept. 3, 1 95.

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yarns prions.

Pater CIGARETTE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 545,855, dated September 3, 1895.

Application filed January 28,1895. SerialNo. 535,846. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW L. ELLETT, J r., of the city of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cigarette- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is -an improvement in that class of pocket paper cigarette and cheroot boxes which are provided with an interior sliding box or holder for such articles. The improvement consists in providing the sliding holder with an attachment in the form of a flexible strip or pull-piece, by which one or more cigarettes may be drawn part way out of the holder and thus rendered easily accessible. The said strip or pull-piece is attached at its inner end to the body of the sliding holder and its free end projects beyond the outer ends of the cigarettes, being thus adapted to be seized between the thumb and forefinger for pulling out cigarettes. A distinguishing feature of such strip or pull-piece is the provision of an elongated slot or opening in the same at the point where it extends across the inner end of the box, which slot is made of greater width than the thickness of a cigarette to permit the cigarettes which are aligned with it to project through it and thus remain-stationary when the flexible strip is pulled, so that only those cigarettes which lie on either side of those that project through the slot are drawn out of the holder when the strip or pull-piece is pulled.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inner cigarette box or holder extended, and provided with a slotted flexible strip or pull-piece according to my plan. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of such holder folded and inserted in the openend box, which ordinarily bears the advertisement of the goods. Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing the slotted strip or pullpiece drawn out and four cigarettes projecting from the holder in consequence. Fig. 4 is a Vertical section on HD6411: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional front view of the box, showing the parts in same position as in Figs. 3 and 4.

The exterior box A, Figs. 2, 3, and at, is of the usual character, being rectangular and provided with open ends. The interior box or holder B is likewise constructed substantially as usual, being formed (see Fig. 1) from an elongated blank whose body has narrow lateral flaps b and a long end portion or flap b, which overlies the entire pack of cigarettes, as shown in Fig. 2. The body of the holder B has also the usual short end flap 11 The elongated flexible strip or pull-piece O, which embodies myinvention, is preferably composed of muslin or paper and constructed and arranged as follows (see Fig. 1)-that is to say, its inner end is pasted or otherwise attached to the inner side of the longer end flap b of the holder 13, and it extends across the end of the latter and liesin contact with theinner side of the body of the same, its free end or thumb-piece c projecting beyond the point where the upper ends of the cigarettes normally lie. Thus when the holder B is filled with cigarettes or cheroots, as shown, they lie upon the strip 0, and its flap c folds (see Fig. 2) upon their outer ends and is covered by the end flap b of said holder. The elongated slot or opening 0' in the strip or pull-piece O is formed in its lower portion and extends across the folding or creased portion of the flap b". Its width is greater than that of a cigarette or cheroot, so that the latter may easily pass through it. The strip is made narrower than the width of the holder B (although I may in some cases make it of the same width) and is arranged in thelongitudinal center of said holderthat is, the slot 0 registers or is aligned with the two cigarettes which occupy the middle of the pack, Fig. 5. It will be seen that in consequence of this construction and arrangement of parts when the strip 0 is pulled the cigarettes which lie on both sides of the middle ones will alonecome in contact with the strip on each side of the slot, and hence be drawn out beyond the others, as in Figs. 3 and 4:, the middle ones in such case sliding through the slot, and hence remaining stationary, Fig. 5. It is apparent, further, that anyone of the four cigarettes thus projected may be easily seized and drawn completely out of the holder B. It is also apparent that when the operation is repeated but three cigarettes will be drawn out, and the third time buttwo, and the fourth time but one. In brief, in each case a cigarette is projected and rendered accessible, so that it may be easily seized and extracted from the holder B without difificulty, hinderance, or delay. After the four centrally-located cigarettes shall have been thus removed it is obvious the six remaining ones, being then loose and free in the holder B, may be removed Without difficulty.

My improvement adds scarcely anything to the cost of cigarette-boxes, yet is a great convenience in use. It also avoids any necessity for bending outward'the free end of the longer flap b of the holder, as is the usual practice, in order to obtain access to the cigarettes, so that such flap remains unbent or unbroken and otherwise intact, and aids in protecting the cigarettes so long as the box is in use.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with an open-end box, of a slidable holder, or interior box, having an end flap which folds upon the pack of cig arettes as specified, of a flexible strip, or pull piece, whose inner end is attached to the inner side of said flap, and extends free along the body of the holder and beyond the point where the outer ends of the cigarettes, normally lie, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the slidable, interior box, or holder, of the flexible strip which is attached to the inner side of the 0 folding end flap of the holder, and extends beyond the outer ends of the cigarettes when in normal position, said strip being of less Width than the holder, so that, when pulled, it will come into contact with and cause the projection of but a portion of the cigarettes, as specified.

3. A cigarette-box, or holder, havinga flexible strip, or pull-piece, which is attached at one end to said holder and extends across the inner end of the latter and is provided with a slot adapted to allow the passage of cigarettes through it, when the strip is pulled, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a cigarette-box or holder of a flexible strip, or pull-piece which is attached at its inner end to the holder, interiorly, and projects beyond the end of the same, said strip being made of less width than the holder and provided with a slot at the point where it extends across the inner end of the same, substantially as shown and described, whereby, when the pull-piece is drawn, it forces out the cigarettes that lie on either side of the middle ones, leaving the latter stationary, as specified.

ANDREW L. ELLETT, JR.

Witnesses:

WM. WEBB, E. J. THAOKER. 

